O’Neill: Hurling not just for elite

GAA president Liam O’Neill has rejected Davy Fitzgerald’s claim that too many counties have a say in hurling structures.

Clare boss Fitzgerald is unhappy with the current league set-up which is divided into two top tiers of six teams.

He wants one 10-team top flight and, generally, hit out at the fact that counties without an apparent interest in the issue have a say on it.

“There’s a lot of counties there that don’t have too much interest in hurling that are voting on this,” claimed Fitzgerald. “I’ll say it straight out — I don’t agree with it. I just don’t agree with that. I think this needs to be looked at.”

But speaking at yesterday’s launch of the 2013 M Donnelly-sponsored Poc Fada Championship, O’Neill slated the suggestion.

“I reject totally the notion that only the elite have the right to govern hurling,” said O’Neill.

“Hurling belongs to us all and belongs to all those who play hurling and everyone will have a voice in it. I want people to be honest and to say where they want hurling to go.

“At the moment, what happens in the league is that sectional interest takes over because [certain counties] view where they are at this particular moment in time and that’s not vision, that’s just dealing with the immediate. We want to look at it long-term.”

O’Neill hailed the success of the Tain Leagues in improving and promoting the game and insisted he is acutely aware of the problems facing hurling.

“I am realistic, I come from a county [Laois] outside of hurling’s strongest group so I understand the difficulty better than most presidents,” he continued. “I know what it’s like to be left outside the top group. I want Westmeath, Antrim, Laois and Carlow to be included in the thinking.”

The Poc Fada finals will take place on August 3 on Annaverna Mountain in County Louth.